The Irish standard., 1887-01-15
LANES A, McMAsTER,

| In the death Of James A. McMaster,
for 3S years editor Of the Freeman's S
Journal, Catholic journalism has lost a
shining light. He died on the morning
of Wednesday, Dec. %, in st. Mary's
Hospital, Brooklyn, N. Y, at the age
of sc. The immediate cause of his
death was typhoid fever, although this
malady was intensified by complica-
tion Of ether diseases. The deceased in
his day welded a mighty pen, and he
was universally esteemed as one Of the
| most forceful writer's this country has
ever produced. He had always the
courage to express his convictions, and
though his style was generally rugged
and uneven, his thoughts and argu-
ments were those of a great mind.
James A.. McMaster, says the Irish
American in sketch of his life, was
born on April 20, 1920, at Duanesberg,
N. Y, his father, the late Rev. Gilbert
McMaster, being q Scotch Presbyterian
minister OF the time, who traced his an
cestry back to the stern Scottish wal
rior, Claverhouse. Brought up in the
iron tenets of his fathers creed, Mr..
McMaster was sent to the Union Col
lege. where be made his studies, but
did not graduate. After leaving the
college, becoming dissatisfied with his
old creed, he was received into the
Catholic Church about forty-six years
ago, and wished to study for the priest
hood. For that purpose he Joined the
Redemptorist Order, but found, after a
year or so, that his vocation did not lis
in that direction, and left, to re-enter
the world, and become journalist.
The New York Catholic Register was
commenced in 1889, and the Freeman's
journal in 1910. Both were combined
in January, 1s41, under united title,
and the editorial coutrol Of the late
James W. White. He was succeeded
by Eugene Casserly, afterwards United
States Senator from California, and son
Of the famous classical schoolmaster of
old New York, Patrick Sarsfeld
Casserly. In 1912 the paper came into
the hands of the Most Rev. Dr..
Hughes, who, in lS47, sold it to MI Nc
Master, who was thenceforth it's editor
and proprietor He invested it's col
umns with the vigor and fire Of his own
individuality and, when in his prime,
and before the era of telegraphs and
other modern accessories of journalism,
it was one of the influences and fea-
lures of metropolitan life and the recog-
nized official organ OF Catholicity in
America. Mr.. McMaster was always a
sturdy defender Of the Church and of
sound Catholic doctrine, and never low
cred his lance, no matter how big or in
fuential an opponent encountered it.
In American politics Mr.. McMaster
was an uncompromising Democrat, and
a strict constructionist of the constitu-
ton. He was follower of Douglas
in the stormy time before the rebellion,
and on the death of the "Little Giant
drifted, with the opening of the war,
into fierce State Rights advocate. In
this course he came into conflict with
the Lincoln administration. The Free
man. was suppressed by Secretary Sew
ard in 1862, and Mr.. McMaster was
locked up in Fort Lafayette, where he
remained for. eleven months. On his
release he resumed his editorial chair,
which he held uninterruptedly till his
last illness. He married early in his
career, but his wife has been dead some
years. He has four children living,
three of whom are in religion, one a
Sister in a Philadelphia convent, and
two are Carmelite Nuns in Baltimore
TIE fourth, son, twenty-one years of
age, is engaged in the Freeman Office.
MI. N1cMaster has been a resident of
Brooklyn for several years, living near
his friend, Maj. j. D. Kelley, on C]er-
mont avenue. He had associated with
him in the editorial management of the
Freeman's journal, MFR. Maurice +.
Eagan, who has, in fact, been its con-
ductor for several years, since Mr.. Nc
Masters health began to fail, and who
in all probability will now succeed to
the control of the paper, and who is in
every way worthy to wear the mantle
that thus descends to him.
THE Irish leader, Charles Stewart
2Parnell, is said to receive more letters
and answer less than any man in Eu-,
rope.